Ford develops 3D printed wheel nuts to deter wheel thieves
01 Feb 2020|1,173 views
Ford has created locking nuts with contours based on the driver's voice, aimed at deterring wheel thieves.


With the geometry in place, the nut and key are designed as one piece, then 3D-printed using acid and corrosion resistant stainless steel. When finished, the nut and key are separated, with a small amount of grinding required to make them ready for use.
The design also includes second-level security features that prevent the nut from being cloned or copied. For example, unevenly spaced ribs inside the nut and indentations that widen the deeper they go prevent a thief from making a wax imprint of the pattern as the wax breaks when it is pulled from the nut.
The nuts could also feature designs specific to a vehicle, such as with the Mustang logo, or use the driver's initials. A video demonstrating how the nuts are manufactured and how they work is available on Ford Europe's Youtube channel here.
Ford has created locking nuts with contours based on the driver's voice, aimed at deterring wheel thieves.


With the geometry in place, the nut and key are designed as one piece, then 3D-printed using acid and corrosion resistant stainless steel. When finished, the nut and key are separated, with a small amount of grinding required to make them ready for use.
The design also includes second-level security features that prevent the nut from being cloned or copied. For example, unevenly spaced ribs inside the nut and indentations that widen the deeper they go prevent a thief from making a wax imprint of the pattern as the wax breaks when it is pulled from the nut.
The nuts could also feature designs specific to a vehicle, such as with the Mustang logo, or use the driver's initials. A video demonstrating how the nuts are manufactured and how they work is available on Ford Europe's Youtube channel here.
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